chapter 55

“Your Excellency.”

Archen called for his master, who was tenaciously looking at the documents. But, he didn’t get an answer. It had been two days since his master didn’t come back to the Grand Duchy. Instead, he stayed in a small mansion located a little far from the Grand Duchy.

This mansion was purchased to be a temporary warehouse when there was not enough space for the main one. Therefore, no servants managed this mansion, there was no furniture in it.

Whatever happened, his master left the Grand Duchy and stayed here. Archen had been the one preparing his master’s food, clothes, and furniture. He didn’t know what had happened or why his master left the Grand Duchy.

“Your Excellency.”

Archen looked at his master’s face with concern. His master’s face looked rougher than usual, perhaps because he had trouble sleeping for two days. Of course, no one could sleep properly in this place without a bed.

“Why doesn’t Your Excellency go back to the Grand Duchy? Or should I bring a bed for you?”

Archen had been bringing the documents from the Grand Duchy to this mansion for two days per his master’s request.

“I’m okay. How about Cersinia’s scar?”

“The doctor said that if she apply for the medicine consistently, her scar will disappear. Lady Cersinia’s scar is getting lighter.”

Ben nodded slightly to Archen’s report. He wanted to see that her scar was improving in person. But he endured it. He was afraid that he would lose his reason again and treat her like before.

“All right. Go away.”

Because he couldn’t think of anything, he used his work as an escape. Ben went through the paperwork again. He looked like he was going to die from overwork.

“Your Excellency, I’m worried that you might get hurt.”

Archen has said it several times already. But, as expected, his master didn’t listen to him. Archen simply couldn’t understand his master’s behavior. His master, who missed Lady Cersinia so much, suddenly didn’t want to see lady Cersinia when she was staying in the Grand Duchy.

‘Did they have a fight?’

“By any chance, did Your Excellency’s condition has anything to do with lady Cersinia?”

Ben, who was handing the papers to Archen, stopped at those words. Archen intuitively realized that he asked something he shouldn’t have.

“Archen.”

“Yes…Your Excellency.”

Archen swallowed his dryly at his master’s deep, low-pitched and nearly threathning voice. His shoulders shuddered at his master’s cold aura.

“I’m going on an inspection of the territory starting tomorrow, so be prepared.”

“Yes, sir.”

Archen quickly bowed, saying goodbye, and left the room. Going on an inspection, clearly meant that he wouldn’t go to the Grand Duchy for the time being. Archen knew it had something to with lady Cersinia, but he didn’t want to make the mistake of bringing it up and messing with his master’s temper.

“…”

After Archen left, Ben leaned his head against the chair as he looked around the quiet room . It’s been two days since he left the Grand Duchy as if he was running away. In other words, it was the second day since he had not seen Cersinia.

He closed his tired eyes. Because of Archen, he remembered the day he caught Cersinia carrying her luggage. He was so immersed in his work that he forgot about it, but it came to his mind again. Ben became anxious again. It seemed like she would disappear at any time . And this made Ben feel like he would beat her and hurt her at any time because of his desire.

“It’s disgusting.”

Ben frowned with a terrifying expression on his face. For the time being, he left the Grand Duchy to avoid Cersinia as much as possible in order not to let his twisted desire grow out of control.

‘If I calm down a little more, this damn thought will disappear.’

Only the sound of the drawer being opened quietly spread in the quiet room. Ben took the worn-out bracelet from the drawer and held it in his hand. That was the only thing he took with him when he left Cersinia alone three years ago.

Even if it had become a little worn-out, the bracelet was still very pretty. After staring at the bracelet that had not been given to its owner for three years, he caressed it as if it was the most precious thing ever.

Ben quietly kissed the bracelet with eyes full of longing and affection. As if the bracelet was Cersinia. Tears filled his dark purple eyes. Like three years ago, the day he tried to get back to her.

* * *

“She suffered severe burns, so she has to apply medicine for the rest of her life.”

Thump.

Cersinia felt her heart sink. Her mouth felt dry, and her body was cold. For a moment, her legs staggered, and she hurriedly leaned against the wall.

“Lady Cersinia, are you okay?”

Surprised, Verne grabbed one of Cersinia’s arms. Cersinia looked at Verne with her confused eyes and opened her mouth.

“W-Why did she get hurt? Why…?”

“I don’t know either. One day, when I came home, my mother had been severely burned and collapsed. They said the house was not on fire, so it was very strange. Even my mother doesn’t remember what happened at that time either.”

Cersinia felt dizzy. It was a severe burn, not a chronic disease like she thought. Verne’s mother should have been fine since she didn’t commit evil deeds to Verne’s mother like in the original story.

‘Why did Verne’s mother get burned? Why is everything going according to the original story? Why didn’t it change?’

Cersinia couldn’t figure out what happened.

‘Was it a mere coincidence that I met Verne here?’ She began to doubt everything.

“Are you not feeling well?” Verne asked with a face full of concern.

Cersinia was helplessly supported by Verne. She hurriedly asked a question.

“When did you start working here?”

Verne couldn’t understand Cersinia’s behavior. From the way she had been asking this and that, and her face and attitude that became contemplated like a surprised person. However, Verne thought there might be a reason, and she answered her question.

“It’s been less than two weeks.”

Cersinia considered the timing inwardly. In the original story started working, to earn money for the mother’s medicine, when autumn was around the corner. Similar to now… autumn was coming.

“How…” Cersinia muttered a low voice with annoyance.

She already guessed that the story would have started, but she didn’t understand why nothing changed from the original story. Was everything she had been careful about becoming vain? She was anxious, but it was still early to jump to a conclusion.

“Lady Cersinia, I think you should take a rest. I’ll take you to your room.”

Verne moved forward, supporting Cersinia, who had a blank face. Cersinia, like a fool, walked with Verne supporting her. Her head was cluttered like a tangled thread.

Nothing was going as she expected. It started from the moment Ben came to her as Grand Duke of Shorevarce. Her current shock was equal to when Ben confessed that he was Alexdemikan Shorevarce. She was now painting a picture of what she should do in the future. Her plan to go out to the garden was soon forgotten.

“Sit carefully.”

Verne put Cersinia in bed with a carefully.

“Should I call a doctor? Or master… Ah, master is away right now.”

Cersinia stared at Verne’s troubled face. On the way back to her room, she calmly organized her thoughts.

“I’m okay.”

She stopped Verne, who was going back and forth in a chaotic way.

“Lady, are you sure you’re okay?”

Verne checked Cersinia’s complexion. And just like the first day she came, she didn’t look well. And because of that Verne thought Cersinia was a weak woman. Her slender physique added to Verne’s misunderstanding. Cersinia had successfully overpowered the three men, in front of her, a few minutes ago, but Verne seemed to have forgotten about it.

“I was just dizzy for a moment. Thank you.”

“No, please speak comfortably to me, Lady Cersinia.”

“Yes, I will.”

“If lady is really okay, I will fix the bed so you can lie down.”

Verne looked at Cersinia’s complexion once more and fixed the bedding. It’s already too late for her to go back to work. Verne was sure she would be scolded for not working and doing something else. And she will have to face them again and spend hellish days. Verne’s slowly moved the blanket so that Cersinia could lie comfortably in bed. Like someone who doesn’t want to go back to her work quickly.

“Then I’ll get going now. Rest well.”

However, doing only this was not time consuming enough, so Verne started to leave after saying her goodbyes.

“Wait a minute.”

Cersinia caught Verne, who was moving her steps. Cersinia became silent for a moment and added more words to Verne, who turned around. She swallowed her saliva as she had made a big decision.

“If it’s okay, why don’t you stay by my side a bit longer?”

“Pardon? Is lady talking about being her personal maid? Before lady said that you were uncomfortable…”

“I’m sorry. It’s been hard for me to be alone. Could you be my personal maid?”

Cersinia reached her hand out to Verne with a firm look. As long as things went like this, she decided it would be better to keep Verne by her side. The female protagonist in the original novel was Verne. Obviously, everything will revolve around Verne. Although she didn’t commit the evil deeds that Cersinia had committed in the original novel, it was necessary to check if everything was flowing according to the original or not.

‘Is it really going according to the original?’

‘Or was it just a coincidence?’

Avoiding and running away was not a good thing at all. It’ll only make it difficult to fix things after they happen since it’ll be to late. So she had the first to know what was going on with Verne. That way, Cersinia could efficiently and appropriately respond to any situation.

“That’s…”

Verne who couldn’t decide easily and hesitated. Even if she wanted to, she needed permission. Cersinia noticed Verne’s concerns and said,so that Verne could make her decision quickly.

“I’ll tell them about your change of work, so you don’t have to worry.”

Then Verne replied with a bright face as if it was what she had been waiting for.

“Yes, yes! I will do it!”

“Then please take good care of me.”

“Please take good care of me too, lady Cersinia.”

Cersinia hoped that by all means, this would be the best choice.